The South African Zionist Federation has submitted a complaint to Pretoria’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, arguing that the plan to name a Johannesburg street after Palestinian plane hijacker Leila Khaled violates domestic and international law.
The proposal to rename the city’s Sandton Drive—home to the U.S. consulate—to Leila Khaled Drive amounts to “a diplomatic insult that could have far-reaching consequences for South Africa’s international relations and investment,” the group wrote.
Under S.A.’s Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges Act, the country has a “duty to take all appropriate steps to protect all consular premises, including that of the USA, and prevent the impairment of their dignity,” the group noted, adding that this is also a “principle of international law.”
SAZF deputy Craig Pantanowitz warned that “potential for public unrest and protests following the proposed renaming could significantly disrupt the activities of the U.S. Consulate, at which South Africans also work, due to increased gatherings supporting Palestinian causes.”
The grassroots group urged South African authorities to “take immediate action to address this breach of diplomatic protocol” and convey its objections to Johannesburg’s government before Oct. 18.
In a separate letter to the city of Johannesburg, the SAZF warned that the planned name change could damage its long-standing relationship with New York City, a twin city of the South African metropolis.
The proposal could jeopardize the agreement between the two cities, which has been in place for over two decades, the group said.
In a press release, the SAZF called on “all stakeholders” to make their objections heard by filling out a form on its website before Oct. 15.
As a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Khaled gained notoriety for the 1969 hijacking of TWA flight 840 and the 1970 attempt to hijack El Al flight 219. She was arrested but eventually released. The United States considers the PFLP to be a terror group.
Members of the African National Congress (ANC) in Johannesburg believe that the renaming aligns with South Africa’s historical support for anti-colonial and anti-imperialist struggles across the world. The ANC has aligned itself with Hamas terrorists and the Palestinian cause.
